The variety of dengue sufferers has elevated greater than seven instances in a span of 1 month earlier than the start of the monsoon, the breeding season of the Aedes mosquito.
In April this yr, 143 dengue sufferers have been hospitalised throughout the nation and two of them died. The variety of sufferers elevated to 1,036 in Might. Greater than half of the overall 5 months’ dengue circumstances have been reported in Might.
Alongside month-to-month jumps in dengue circumstances, this yr has additionally damaged all data in each the variety of circumstances and deaths in comparison with the identical interval in earlier years.
The nation’s highest variety of dengue circumstances was 324 and the dying toll was two till Might in earlier years. Nevertheless, 2,022 dengue sufferers have been hospitalised throughout the nation till 31 Might this yr and 13 folks died.
Consultants say the dengue scenario within the nation could also be worse than the earlier years. The town authorities wouldn’t have enough Aedes mosquito management actions all year long. Aedes larvae have been discovered within the water amassed within the parking areas of multi-storey buildings, under-construction buildings, roof gardens, and homes that haven’t any connection to rainwater.
68% of dengue sufferers are from the capital Dhaka. Some 1,378 dengue sufferers have been admitted to Dhaka hospitals till Might whereas 644 folks have been admitted to completely different hospitals within the nation outdoors of Dhaka, in response to the Directorate Common of Well being Providers (DGHS).
In the meantime, the dengue has unfold to 41 districts of the nation. Chattogram is in essentially the most harmful scenario after Dhaka. This yr, 10 dengue sufferers died in Dhaka and the remaining three in Chattogram.
Among the many districts, dengue unfold to 11 districts of Dhaka division and 9 districts in Chattogram division, 5 districts of Barisal division, two districts of Mymensingh division, eight districts of Khulna, three districts of Rajshahi, two districts of Rangpur and one district in Sylhet.
Typically, June-September is the season of dengue as rainwater accumulates right here and there. So, this era is taken into account as Aedes mosquitoes’ breeding season. Nevertheless, this yr, dengue circumstances rise throughout the nation earlier than monsoon.
Well being officers and entomologists are nervous about how the scenario is likely to be within the aforesaid interval.
Jahangirnagar College zoology dept professor Entomologist Kabirul Bashar informed TBS, Dengue circumstances often rise in August-September, however the best way it has elevated in Might this yr is unquestionably a matter of concern. Dengue is prone to unfold to the remainder of the nation from Dhaka on a big scale through the Eid-ul-Azha.
As per town authorities and DGHS, they’re taking mosquito extermination actions, however no optimistic outcomes. Fast measures needs to be taken to y kill mosquitoes, larvae by figuring out hotspots, and folks needs to be conscious, he added.
Prof Dr Be-Nazir Ahmed, former director of Communicable Illness Management on the Directorate of Well being informed TBS, “We have now a historical past of eradicating varied epidemics however within the final 23 years, we now have been removed from controlling dengue. For that, we’d like sufficient entomologists and analysis on it.”
As town firms and different authorities failed to regulate Aedes, dengue circumstances could unfold on a big scale within the nation, the knowledgeable additionally mentioned.
Whereas addressing a programme in Cox’s Bazar on Tuesday, well being minister Zahid Maleque mentioned, “Separate wards for dengue sufferers stay in each hospital of the nation as dengue outbreaks happen everywhere in the nation. We had organized coaching for physicians and nurses to offer correct remedy to sufferers.”
Furthermore, the well being directorate was instructed to take measures to forestall the unfold of dengue circumstances, he added.
In keeping with Dhaka South Metropolis Company, 348 dengue circumstances have been reported within the metropolis till 30 Might, which was 17.54% of the overall sufferers of this month.
Dhaka South mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh mentioned making use of pesticides alone is just not sufficient to cope with the dengue menace. Social resistance also needs to be developed to deal with this.
“As per the consultants of the pesticide committee of town firms, we imported and saved enough pesticides for the entire yr. So, there isn’t a fear in regards to the mosquito extermination drives.”
Whereas inspecting a mosquito extermination drive on Wednesday, Dhaka North mayor Atiqul Islam urged all to work unitedly to cut back culex, aedes mosquitos. All have to concentrate on the dengue menace. Â
“If we discover amassed water in under-construction buildings we are going to slap a positive.”
In keeping with DGHS, Bangladesh had the best variety of dengue circumstances in 2019. The quantity exceeded 100,000 and 179 folks died that yr. Nevertheless, the variety of deaths exceeded all different years in 2022. About 62,000 folks have been contaminated and 281 folks died.
